Ranking NPA leader nabbed in Caraga

MILITARY and police operatives have arrested a ranking commander of the New People’s Army (NPA) in the Caraga Region and six others at a checkpoint in a remote village in Las Nieves town, Agusan del Sur.

Caraga Regional Police spokesman, Supt. Daniel Puesca, said Ricardo Andan Manili, 62, also known in the region as “Joker”, carries a P4.9 million reward for his arrest.

Puesca said Manili is the commanding officer of the NPA Regional Operational Command, known as Julito Tero Command. He was intercepted at about 1 p.m. on Monday in Barangay Remedios, Las Nieves town

Police added that Manili has pending criminal cases in local courts, which include two counts of rebellion, two counts of murder, robbery with homicide, two counts of multiple murder and arson.

He was arrested together with a female and five male companions on board a silver Starex van at a checkpoint manned by operatives of the 13th Regional Public Safety Battalion and the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Recovered from them were a homemade shotgun, one caliber .45 pistol, one caliber 9 mm pistol, one improvised explosive device, one grenade, two blasting caps, three bolos, three magazines, ammunition, medical kits, subversive documents and personal belongings.